Winemaker Notes
With an intense garnet color, the wine has aromas of mint, eucalyptus, toasted bread, licorice root, sun-dried hay, with balsamic notes. The dense palate flavors include cocoa powder, black pepper, prunes and dried figs. Richly extracted, the wine exhibits vanilla notes and strong, ripe tannins.
Food Match: roasts, red meat, Hard cheeses, game, beef.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Nino Negri's 2004 Sfursat 5 Stelle is rich and weighty in its expression of sweet dark cherries, spices, flowers, minerals and toasted oak. Made in an intense layered style, it offers notable depth as well as clarity in its detail. Today it comes across as quite youthful and in need of bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019.
Italian Red Wine
While picturesque hillsides, endless coastlines and a favorable climate serve to unify the grape-growing culture of this country. The apparent never-ending world of indigenous grape varieties gives Italy an unexampled charm and allure for its red wines. From the steep inclines of the Alps to the sprawling, warm, coastal plains of the south, red grape varieties thrive throughout.
The kings of Italy, wines like Barolo and Barbaresco (made of Nebbiolo), and Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (made of Sangiovese), as well as Amarone (mostly Corvina), play center stage for the most lauded, collected and cellar-worthy reds. Less popular but entirely deserving of as much praise are the wines made from Aglianico, Sagrantino and Nerello Mascalese.
For those accustomed to drinking New World reds, the south is the place to start. Grapes like Negroamaro or Primitvo from Puglia and Nero d’Avola from Sicily make soft, ammicable, full-bodied, fruit-dominant wines. Curious palates should be on the lookout for Cannonau (Grenache), Lagrein, Teroldego, Ruché, Freisa, Cesanese, Schiopettino, Rossese and Gaglioppo to name a few.